Republican Party Presidential Ticket, 1860
The Republican Party had no hope of gaining significant votes in the South, so this campaign banner for Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin sought to appeal to voters in the North and West. Crowded with imagery to attract the various interests that made up the new party, the banner was displayed at campaign rallies and party offices.
Interpret the Evidence
What aspects of this banner highlight Lincoln’s and Hamlin’s backwoods origins?
How does the banner seek to appeal to both manufacturers and workingmen?
Put It in Context
What would the motto “Free Speech, Free Homes, Free Territory” indicate to voters, given developments surrounding slavery and western expansion in the 1850s?
Exploring American HistoriesPrinted Page 404
Chapter Timeline